As the highest Boy Scout rank, Eagle Scouts must show leadership ability, service to others and a commitment to God and country. For achieving this difficult rank, the University of St. Thomas awarded scholarships to four freshmen for the first time this year.

Alex Carrejo, Brian Ehlinger, Cameron Hamilton and Joseph Jurica, the four Eagle Scouts, said their high school participation in Boy Scouts prepared them well for an education at UST.
“The required UST Freshman Symposium class focuses on thinking critically and teaching students to be leaders on and off campus,” said Jurica, who plans to major in accounting. “As Eagle Scouts, these are skills we already possess.”

All four young men said they plan to be active members of the UST community and become involved in campus outreach programs.

Ehlinger, also interested in accounting, is already participating in Best Buddies, a volunteer organization creating one-to-one friendships between students and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and he has joined the UST Knights of Columbus.

“Boy Scout camping trips let me bond with fellow scouts, help the younger members finish rank requirements, learn team building and become a leader,” Ehlinger said. “These are all skills I will definitely use at St. Thomas.”

Carrejo, who plans to major in biology, said he’s finding his niche at UST as well.

“I like St. Thomas,” Carrejo said. “I’m in a FOCUS Bible Study and I may join Knights of Columbus.”

Hamilton, who plays guitar in the UST Rock Band and wants to major in music, said he appreciated the value St. Thomas placed on Eagle Scouts.

“The Eagle Scout scholarship was a huge deciding factor in choosing to come to UST,” Hamilton said. “It helped me financially, and I like how much Eagle Scouts are recognized by St. Thomas.”
The $1,000 scholarship was open to incoming freshmen and required an application and one-page letter of interest describing their Eagle Scout projects and the leadership skills they gained. The scholarship will be renewed provided the recipients maintain a 3.0 GPA.

University of St. Thomas
The University of St. Thomas, dedicated to educating leaders of faith and character, is a private institution committed to the liberal arts and to the religious, ethical and intellectual tradition of Catholic higher education. St. Thomas is Houston’s only Catholic University and was founded by the Basilian Fathers in 1947.